Woad to Ruin:
'You did not kill them all,' Merlin told her calmly.
Shakira stood in a clearing the next night. She met Merlin who already knew of the past days events.
'I could not,' she answered. 'The time was not right.'
'She wished to kill you, for a mistake not your own,' he told her. 'Now she will stop at nothing to get revenge.'
'I will not be in danger Merlin,' she told him.
'My child, she has all the time in the world,' he said looking at her pitifully. 'She will stop at nothing. And I fear now…..her next attempt will be costly.'
'So what do I do?' she sighed, getting frustrated.
'Nothing. I will see……but be close to your magic. It will be the only thing to save you,' he said as he turned to leave. 'Oh, the fireball….was taken care of.'
0-0-0
They arrived in Hadrian's Wall in the late night. Maximus quickly retreated to his room, not wanting to be in the presence of warriors anymore.
'Bors!'
'Van!' he said as he took the red headed woman in his arms. He kissed her roughly, but she didn't seem to mind.
Tristan had his arm around Shakiras shoulders and was watching the couple happily. Jet was leaning on her horse with her elbow on the saddle and her forehead in her palm. Her eyes were closed.
'Van this is Shakira, Tristan's wife,' Bors said grinning.
'Wow,' she said looking at her. 'Who would have thought? I'm Vanora.'
'Its nice to meet you,' Shakira said happily. 'Bors told me about you. 9 children. You must be happy.'
'And tired,' she laughed.
'Jet,' Shakira said turning to the red head.
'What! Yes, I'm here!' she said, clearly caught off guard.
Tristan smiled slightly while Shakira rolled her eyes. 'Vanora this is Tristan's sister, Jet,' Shakira introduced.
'Really?' she asked, looking from the brother to sister. 'Well its nice to meet yeh'. Have you lot eaten then?'
'No,' the Knights said at once.
'Well come on. I have plenty in the kitchen. You look half starved.'
0-0-0
Lancelot proudly told the story of how Shakira slapped Maximus to Vanora while everyone ate. Vanora smiled at the brunette. 'Feel good?'
Shakira nodded thoughtfully. 'Now that I think of it…..yes.'
Tristan leaned back in his seat and smiled as his wife became occupied in a conversation with Gawain. He watched her hands move with her words and her voice remain calm and her laughter filled his heart with happiness. When she finished speaking she took his hand in hers as he wrapped his other arm around her waist and hold her.
Vanora smiled from the bar was she watched Tristan with his wife. Never before had he seemed so…..happy. He was just content to sit there and watch his wife speak to his brothers.
She had always seen him as a silent brooding man who smiled very, very rarely and even then it was only for a moment. Bors had told her a few months ago that he was married, but she truly understood his devotion to Shakira when she met her. A lovely, kind and stunningly beautiful woman who loved her husband more than life itself. And she was proud to see that, she had won over the respect of the Knights.
0-0-0
Flashback:
Tristan was kissing down her bare stomach.
They were lying by the large fire that was lit by the cave entrance. Shakira was lying on her back on their clothes and completely enjoying the new sensations that were being brought to her. They were to be married. She was going to marry her best friend, who was also the love of her life.
It would seem that they had been partners for years. They were always together, but they did not pursue a romantic relationship until a few weeks before. It was not until he had kissed her when they were hiding from their parents that she actually realised how much she actually loved him.
Tristan always seemed protective of her. When she became of the right age for men and boys to be interested in her, it seemed that no one could wait. Every eligible man or boy was trying to romance her. But they soon stopped when they realised she would not be with anyone but him.
There was no threat to this. No threat but Ewen. The blonde tall dark eyed, village pretty boy that seemed to be able to romance and have any girl he wanted. He was the same age as Tristan, 16, and had had his eye on Shakira for years. Shakira, was two years their junior. Tristan and Ewen had spoken of their feelings for her but it always ended up in fights. Tristan didn't like him. And he would not, for any reason let his love be Ewen's.
Shakira made fists with her hands as Tristan kissed down her legs. Her eyes opened and closed as she relished in what he was making her feel. She watched him come back up and kiss her neck slowly…..so slowly it was painful. She felt his lips linger in her skin when he placed those light kisses on her.
'Tristan….,' she gasped as his hands dragged around her legs, '…..stop teasing me please.'
'What do you want Shakira?' he asked as he whispered her name so softly it was barely audible.
'I want you,' she said as tears came to her eyes. 'Oh my Gods….I love you Tristan.'
His heart filled with tears, as did his eyes slightly as he made love to her. She moaned and gasped loudly, never holding back her emotions. As she came…..he has the fist encounter with her magic.
Shakira put her hands into his hair and held his face to her neck. 'I love you Tristan.'
It was all she could manage to say. The words flowed from her lips like water. Over and over she chanted, 'I love you Tristan, I love you.'
As she held his face, and reached her peak, her eyes widened and a flash of light burst in front of her eyes.
She was running in the fields at 5 years old……kissing Tristan…….going with the group of huntresses for the first time…..killing her first man…..laughing with Jet…..opening a heavy book filled with witchcraft…….making a leaf become old and dead and then bringing it to life again……..sending a large beetle to crawl on Ewen……yelling at Elen…….and finally being in the waterfall with Tristan watching her.
She gasped and closed her eyes tightly. Tristan put his hand on her hair and laid his forehead against hers. 'Its ok,' he whispered.
She opened her eyes and stared at him blankly. 'Do you know….'
'That you're a witch?' he asked calmly. 'Yes.'
'What?' she asked while he rolled off her and to her surprise took her in his arms.
'But-'
'I don't care,' he said as he stroked her cheek, 'I love you more than anything. You are special Shakira……we'll never tell.'
She rose onto her elbow and looked at him. 'How long have you known?'
'A few years,' he said calmly as he took her in his arms once more.
She smiled and stroked his chest. 'I love you.'
He smirked. 'You've told me 70 times.'
'You counted?' she asked in awe.
'Yes,' he said. 'Now I have to tell you that many times.'
She smiled and closed her eyes. 'By the way…….it was amazing.'
'Good,' he said proudly. 'I'm glad I could please you as much as you please me.'
End of Flashback:
0-0-0
6 Months later
Shakira had her head in a bucket for the third time that day.
The Knights were due to return on a mission at any moment. It had been six months since she and Jet arrived at the wall and life could not be better. She often went on missions with the Knights, on Arthur's request but this time she could not. She had kept it a secret that she had been feeling ill, but she told Arthur she felt a head cold coming.
Now she had her head in a bucket while Jet held her hair from her face. After 5 minutes she looked up, extremely pale and took the cloth in Jets out stretched hand.
'I'm pregnant,' she said after wiping her mouth.
'That much, is obvious,' Jet said with a grin. 'Have you told him?'
'No, it just confirmed it now. I'm 10 weeks along,' Shakira said rising from the ground and rinsing her mouth.
They heard commotion from the square and horses coming into the wall.
'He's back,' Jet grinned. 'Should I leave you to tell him?'
'Er…,' she could not finish speaking as she dived down to the ground and began to vomit again.
Jezebel made a face. 'I don't want to be pregnant if that is all I'm going to be doing.'
Shakira vomited once more and looked up with her eyes tearing from the force of her sickness. 'Wait until it's your turn,' she gasped before going again.
'Your turn for what?' asked voice entering the room.
Jets eyes widened and she looked down at her vomiting sister in law. 'I think its obvious.'
Tristan's eyes widened and get crouched down beside Shakira and pulled her hair from her face. Jet left quickly.
'Kira?' he asked softly as she emerged from the bucket.
She closed her eyes and felt her head spinning. She took the water from his hand and rinsed her mouth again before wiping it and finally looking at her worried husband.
'I'm pregnant,' she said in a raspy voice. 'I've been like this for three days.'
'It's why you didn't come?' he asked as he picked her up from the floor.
'Yes,' she sighed as she tried to keep her head from spinning. 'I'm about ten weeks along.'
Tristan held her as she sat on his lap and she rested her forehead on his neck. 'I love you.'
'I love you too,' she smiled happily. Slowly he put his hand on her stomach and she put hers over his.
'We did this?' he asked, as if contemplating how it could possibly happen.
'Yes,' she laughed. 'You and I are going to have a baby.'
He kissed her softly and rested her forehead against his. 'Do you still feel ill?'
'Amazingly no,' she sighed. Then she looked at him with a raised eyebrow. 'Why?'
He traced her pouty bottom lip with his thumb. 'I've been gone for 3 days woman……I've missed you.'
She ginned and kissed him tenderly. 'I've missed you too.'
0-0-0
Over 8 Months later
Tristan was riding along the wall. His eyes scanned the trees going into the Woad forest and he spotted something moving. He drew out his sword and began to edge closer on his horse……..
'Tristan!'
Tristan turned to the sound the frantic voice and saw Galahad running to him.
'Shakira,' he panted. 'Sh….she's in labour.'
He kicked his horse into a run. His heart pounded in his chest as he neared the wall beside Galahad. 'Please don't let anything happen to her.'
Many women, these days, died in labour. Tristan's worst fear was her dying, with the child. He sped through the gates and jumped of his horse before it even stoped.
He bolted up the steps of the inn where he could hear many people talking but it was soon drowned out by screaming. Then silence.
'Oh…..I'm fine I really am it's just the…..oh no here come another one,' came Shakiras voice.
Tristan walked into his room and saw Dagonet and Vanora by her side. Shakira closed her eyes tightly as another contraction came and gasped slightly. She leaned back against the head board and panted.
'I'm calm,' she said, not really sounding believable, 'I'm perfectly fine! Now has someone found the IDIOT that got me pregnant?'
Tristan flinched at the coldness of her voice and edged closer to her. 'Shakira?'
'Oh…..honey,' she smiled. 'I just sent Galahad you came quickly..OHHHHH!' she put her hand to her stomach and Tristan sat down beside her looking worried.
'Its time to push!' Vanora said by her legs.
'Push what?' Shakira asked as she clutched Tristan's hand.
Vanora and Dagonet laughed. 'On three. One….two….three.'
Shakira screamed as she pushed with all her might. Tristan's eyes widened as he saw how much pain she was in. 'Give me an arrow wound…..any day.'
Shakira looked at him helplessly and he moved her hair from her face. 'I just want it to come out.'
'Me too,' he said softly as he kissed her. 'You can do this.'
Dagonet smiled at the Knights gentleness. He watched the scout speak to his wife softly and stroke her hair and she nodded.
10 Minutes later……..
'I HATE YOU I HATE YOU!' she screamed as she pushed Tristan away from her.
'Its almost out!' Vanora called. 'Just one more push!'
'Come on my love…..one more!' Tristan said. Shakira glared at him.
'That's easy for you to say!' she yelled. Tears came to her eyes as she felt the baby move again and she cried out. She felt Tristan take her hand and kiss her cheeks again.
On three she gave her biggest push of all and dug her nails into Tristan's hand. He did not flinch or gasp. He kept telling her to keep going and that he loved her.
Only moments later the healthy sound of a crying baby could be heard coming from the room.
Lancelot's head snapped up from his hands and he grinned at Jet who was crying happily while Gawain sighed and laughed. Bors made a cry of happiness and had tears in his eyes. Arthur and Galahad shook hands and smiled happily as Tristan came out holding a little baby wrapped in a blanket.
Everyone could see the joy in his eyes. His face, as usual, remained passive but a tiny smile graced his lips as he looked down at his son. Gabriel.
0-0-0
Author Note: Hi, Thanks to the reviewers! Do you think I could get a bit more feedback for this chapter! I don't know if people like it or not. Thanks so much.